Hong Kong Central Library | Lecture on Community Landmarks: Mazu Belief and Temples

Description

The Mazu (Tin Hau / Goddess of the Sea) belief and customs represent a traditional folk religion dedicated to venerating Mazu's virtue, benevolence, compassion, as well as her salvation of those in peril at sea. These values are manifested through birthday celebrations of the deity and temple fairs. Tin Hau Temples, as the sites for these practices, serve not only as an embodiment of local history but also as landmarks witnessing Hong Kong's drastic urban landscape transformations. Today, the annual Tin Hau Festival continues to play a significant role in uniting the community. This talk will use Tin Hau Temples in Yau Ma Tei and Ping Yuen, Ta Kwu Ling as examples to demonstrate how temples and deity festivals function as vital historical and cultural resources that carry the collective memory and cultural identity of the community.

The event is also one of the activities in the Chinese Culture Promotion Series. The LCSD has long been promoting Chinese history and culture through organising an array of programmes and activities to enable the public to learn more about broad and profound Chinese culture. For more information, please visit https://ccpo.gov.hk/en.

Speaker:Professor YAU Chi-on (Associate Professor, Department of Chinese Literature cum Deputy Director, Centre for Hong Kong History and Culture Studies, Hong Kong Chu Hai College, Hong Kong)

Enquiry:Free admission. People who are interested can register via online https://rho.tungwah.org.hk/en/programmes-and-events or call Tung Wah Museum during office hours for reservation starting from 24 Aug 2026. (Office hours: 9:30 a.m. - 6 p.m., except Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays; Tel: 27700867) First-come, first-served.